106 quotes. 17 sales.

I’ve long believed Google Ads is only profitable when the processes around it work. One of the most important is how quotes turn into sales.

Here are the numbers from the first 3 months of a recent pilot campaign for a professional services firm:

• 210 leads
• 17 sales

That’s about an 8% lead-to-sale rate. Not terrible. The campaign is profitable.

But I’m much more interested in another number.

Out of those 210 leads, 106 were quoted but didn’t go ahead.

My client spoke to them, assessed their situation, and sent a price.

Most didn’t say no. They just went quiet.

That’s more than 6x the number of sales. I think there’s an opportunity here.

Every time I’ve helped a client set up a follow-up sequence for quotes, they’ve won business they thought was lost. This will be the same. Some of those 106 leads will convert with a nudge.

A short series of emails is the easiest, lowest-effort way to do this. But people hesitate. They're worried they'll sound desperate or pushy, or they don't know what to say.

I’ll show you an approach that solves both in a minute. First, let’s look at the scale of the opportunity.

Over 3 months:

• 17 sales
• 106 quoted but didn’t go ahead

Over 12 months (assuming similar performance):

• ~68 sales
• ~424 quoted but didn’t go ahead

If you recover just 10% of those:

• 42 additional sales
• At about $2,500 each = about $105,000 in extra revenue

That’s not from more ad spend. Just from following up on work you’ve already done.

Here’s the timing I use for follow-up emails:

• Email 1: send the quote
• Emails 2–4: address the main concerns
• Email 5: ask for a decision

It’s enough to prompt action without becoming annoying or pushy.

To write emails 2–4, I ask my clients one question:

What are the top three things people worry about before hiring you?

Don’t overthink it. Just say the first three things that come to mind.

Each email addresses one concern.

For a waterproofing contractor I worked with, the three were:

• Cost
• Will it actually work?
• Timing (they were booked 6 weeks out)

Here’s an example of the drafts I prepared for him. He’ll tweak them to match his tone.

Subject: About the cost of your waterproofing

Hi {{Name}},

Most people hesitate after receiving a waterproofing quote because of the cost. That’s normal.

The work we recommended isn’t cheap, but it’s what’s needed to fix the source of the problem properly, so you’re not paying for temporary fixes.

It’s also the cheapest it’s likely to be. If we fix it now, it’s done. If we wait, the damage usually spreads and the cost increases.

If you'd like to review the quote or talk it through, just reply or call {{phone}}.

{{Signature}}

Subject: Will the waterproofing actually work?

Hi {{Name}},

Before approving waterproofing work, most homeowners ask the same question:

“How do I know this will actually work?”

That’s a fair question. The key to a permanent fix is finding where the water is entering, not just where it shows up. We've done that and the repair we’ve quoted stops it at the entry point, which is why it works long term.

If you’d like, we can show you similar jobs we’ve completed.

Just reply if you’d like to see them.

{{Signature}}

Subject: About scheduling your waterproofing

Hi {{Name}},

A quick note on timing.

Because waterproofing depends on weather and drying conditions, we usually have a waiting list.

Many customers choose to reserve a spot early, even if the work happens later. That way the problem is dealt with as soon as possible.

If you’d like us to hold a place, just reply and we’ll sort it.

{{Signature}}

And this is the email that asks for a decision.

Subject: Shall I close your file?

Hi {{Name}},

I haven’t heard back from you about the waterproofing quote, so I just wanted to check in.

At this stage, I’m assuming one of three things:

• You’ve decided to go ahead but haven’t had a chance to reply
• You’re still considering it
• You’ve decided not to move forward

If you’re still thinking it over, I’m happy to answer any questions.

If not, just let me know and I’ll close your file on my end.

Either way, thanks for considering us.

Thanks,
{{Signature}}

None of these emails are desperate or pushy. They’re professional, empathetic, and helpful. And, they will win some business that would have been lost without them.

More on this here if you're interested:
https://pete-bowen.com/how-to-follow-up-on-quotes

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